Although voting is an enumerated right, Prairie View A&M University students have faced obstacles to their right to vote in Waller County in past elections. In an effort to corroborate themselves as Waller County residents, many students showed up at the polls and cast their ballots to elect local and state officials last Tuesday.The official polling place for students was the city of Prairie View community center, voting hours were from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Students were required to present their student ID card, a state issued ID card, or a voter registration card. Students who were not registered to vote in Waller County were given the opportunity to register.
As election day continued, a voter encouragement rally was held at the Memorial Student Center. Several election candidates, including Dewayne Charleston, Sylvia Cedillo, and Dorothy Bottos attended the rally and encouraged students to head to the polls. Community activist Quanell X, famous Rap-A-Lot recording artists Bun-B, Scarface, and rap mogul J-Prince were at the rally to offer encouragement and show their support for students’ right to vote. Students who did not have transportation to the community center were offered a limousine shuttle to the polling site.
“It was good to see that our voting situation in Waller County has attracted so much attention. Over the last few weeks, a lot of people have showed their support and encouraged students to vote. I just hope that students take this seriously, and show up to the polls and vote,” said senior Karegan Evans.
Throughout the day, tallies were taken in two-hour increments to show how many students had voted. According to official voting records at 9:30 a.m., 17 students had voted, by 11:30 a. m., 84 students had voted, by 1:30 p.m., 169 students had voted, by 3:30 p.m., 250 students had voted. At the last tally taken at 5:30 p.m., 352 students had voted.
Junior Erica Willington said, ” I think that the voter turnout was excellent. When I went to vote, I stood in line for over an hour, a lot of people were there all for a common cause. It has been said that a voteless people is a hopeless people. Well, we showed everyone that by voting today we are providing hope for a better tomorrow.